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KOMFIT by FORSTNER and THE DANGER OF HOROLOGICAL HISTORY RE WRITTEN
THE DANGER OF HOROLOGICAL HISTORY RE WRITTEN sadly with help from supposed knowledgable and trusted sources.
Let’s set the record straight once and for all. The astronauts wore the post-1963 CHAMPION stainless steel expandable mesh bracelets made by Jacoby Bender (JB Champion) USA from their Champion line of bracelets, known as the NASA BRACELET and that distinction matters.
THEY ARE CALLED THE NASA BRACELET by JB Champion USA if they are not original "REPO" is the word to use.
The original bracelets are certainly not called Komfit, Komfit style or Komfit JB ... made by Forstner
By allowing publications to repeat the modern Forstner brand's narrative without correction, a "Johnny-come-lately" brand hijacks the legacy of a defunct OEM giant, replacing documented history with corporate myth.
The public is spoonfed inaccurate historical narratives by prominent watch publications. Major publications themselves have not issued official corrections to their original coverage, which often repeats the simplified and conflated narrative.
The periodicals Hodinkee, Fratello, Worn & Wound, aBlogtoWatch, Watchtime magazine, and GearPatrol have not published formal corrections or clarifications to address the misleading claim that the modern Forstner brand is directly responsible for the NASA-issued "JB CHAMPION USA expandable stainless steel mesh" bracelet.
The name Komfit and Forstner if mentioned belongs in the portion of the article giving background information.
The lack of correction from major watch publications perpetuates a dangerous rewriting of horological history.
A). It Erases True Innovation:
It credits the modern Forstner brand with the achievement of creating the NASA-issued bracelet, when it was actually Jacoby-Bender's "JB Champion" model, developed after they acquired Forstner, that was used in space.
B). It Misleads the Public:
Consumers and collectors, who rely on these respected publications for accurate information, are being fed a commercially-driven myth instead of the factual, nuanced history.
C). It Undermines Historical Integrity:
When influential media outlets repeat unchallenged inaccuracies, they allow a corporate narrative to supplant documented facts, mirroring the "truth hijacked as propaganda" warned of in historical discourse. This sets a precedent where brand marketing can overwrite historical reality.
The perpetuation of the myth that the Forstner "Komfit" was the NASA-issued bracelet is dangerous because it actively erases the true history of horological innovation.
A SIMPLE REBRANDING CLAIM ...
The issue is not simply a rebranding; it is the obscuration of significant engineering work by Jacoby Bender working with NASA itself. While Forstner created the original Komfit with fixed end pieces, it was Jacoby Bender that acquired the company in 1963 and developed the JB Champion, the true "NASA bracelet."
This was not a superficial name change. Jacoby Bender made critical engineering modifications, most importantly the spring-loaded, variable-width end pieces (16–19 mm). This innovation allowed the band to securely fit over a wide range of watch lugs and, crucially, to be easily adjusted over the bulky sleeves of a space suit making it a functional necessity for NASA.
The modern Forstner LLC owns the following:
The Name "Forstner": They operate under the name Forstner LLC and use the Forstner brand for their watch bracelets.
The "JB" Logo: They own an active U.S. trademark (Reg. 6014888) for the letters "JB" within a triangle, registered in 2020 for use on watchbands and accessories.
The modern Forstner LLC does not own the rights to JB Champion USA or its associated intellectual property. The JB Champion brand and its original trademark (Reg. 0774115) were owned by Jacoby-Bender, Inc., which acquired the original Forstner company in 1963. The Jacoby-Bender trademark for "JB" expired in 1984 and was not renewed. The modern Forstner's use of the "JB" logo is a new, separate registration and does not constitute ownership of the historical Jacoby-Bender company or the JB Champion brand.
Schirra's 1962 flight is the one and only use of the Forster Komfit in space. It's use was Not sanctioned officially by NASA
1962 Mercury-Atlas 8 mission and the Komfit bracelet
Walter Schirra in 1962 Mercury-Atlas 8 mission wore his Speedmaster CK2998 on a Forstner Komfit bracelet with solid (fixed-width) end links, both the watch and the bracelet were NOT officially issued by NASA they were privately purchased by Schirra from a Houston jeweler, the Komfit bracelet is distinct from the later JB Champion USA models with expandable spring-loaded links that NASA officially issued starting in 1965. The JB Champion USA bracelets are functionally and mechanically distinct.
All attribution there after should be credited to JB Champion USA which was used in Gemini, Apollo, and Space Shuttle missions, they are not the same company nor are the two bracelets the same as many have mistakenly assumed.
Schirra's 1962 flight is the one and only use of the Forster Komfit in space. It's use was Not sanctioned officially by NASA
All attribution there after should be credited to JB Champion USA which was used in Gemini, Apollo, and Space Shuttle missions, they are not the same company nor are the two bracelets the same as many have mistakenly assumed.
The OEM Powerhouse
Jacoby Bender USA wasn’t just a NASA supplier. They were a major OEM manufacturer in the 1960s–1980s, producing high-quality bracelets such as
Rolex (Jubilee and Oyster, assembled in the U.S. under CKD rules)
Omega (mesh, brick, and flat-link styles)
Bulova & their Accutron line
Universal Genève, Longines, Jaeger LeCoultre, Hamilton to name a few.
The company ceased operations in the mid-1980s.
Modern Revival and Brand Claims -
KOMFIT by FORSTNER and THE DANGER OF HOROLOGICAL HISTORY RE WRITTEN
I understand and feel your pain on "The Danger of Horological History being rewritten."